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'Clinically extremely vulnerable': Are you first in line to get vaccinated in B.C.?

Who does that include? It turns out to be a fairly comprehensive list. 
Stefan Labbé
Stefan Labbé
Chemo patient
Those receiving cancer treatment are among the first to start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when it opens to the wider public in April.Getty Images

When B.C. health officials open up COVID-19 vaccinations to the wider public in April, those deemed “clinically extremely vulnerable” will be first in line. 

Who does that include? It turns out to be a fairly comprehensive list. 

It includes the following:

1) Solid organ transplant recipients

2) People with specific cancers such as: 

  • those undergoing active chemotherapy
  • people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
  • people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
  • people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
  • people having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
  • people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

2) People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

3) People with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell disease)

4) People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection (biologic modifiers, high dose steroids, AZT, cyclophosphamide)

5) People who had a spleen removed

6) Adults with very significant developmental disabilities that increase risk (the province has yet to release details)

7) Adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage 5)

8) Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired

9) Significant neuromuscular conditions requiring respiratory support 

If you fall into one of the above conditions, you are among roughly 180,000 British Columbians slated for a COVID-19 vaccine between April and June.

Do you have questions about the vaccine? Find your COVID-19 vaccine answers here or sign up to our daily COVID-19 briefing and reach out to our reporters directly.